Review: TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL Presented By Broadway Across America at Kentucky Performing Arts

There is something very meaningful about watching a legend's story play out before our eyes.  Last October, I saw "Tina" for the first time in Cincinnati.  Since that first viewing, the legendary Tina Turner has passed away, and in a way her passing made the show even more impactful.

"Tina: The Tina Turner Musical", started its life on the West End before transferring to Broadway in 2019. It had moderate success as the latest in the line of bio-jukebox musicals that started in the 2000s with "Jersey Boys". "Tina" doesn’t break the mold, but it does fill it quite well with stellar performances, and a book that is dedicated to showing the good and bad equally.

Ari Groover was just stunning as Tina on opening night. She has the vocal stylings and stage presence of the superstar she’s portraying. She flawlessly executes Turner’s vast and demanding catalogue, all while bringing rich emotion and characterization to the surface for what is a fully rounded and realized performance.

Wildlin Pierrevil, as Ike Turner, also turns in a good performance, even if the writing for his character is a bit two-dimensional at times. He channels Ike’s smooth-talking outer facade, as well as the tortured abuser underneath it all.

The supporting cast is very solid, even if they have little to do in the grand scheme of things. Wydetta Carter, Roz White, and Sarah Bockel make strong and memorable impressions. The ensemble is full of energy that makes Anthony Van Laast’s choreography pop off the stage.

A lesser version of this show would have glossed over some of the uglier parts of Tina Turner’s life, so I credit Tina Turner (who helped produce the show) and the show’s creators for providing a fuller picture of what made the superstar we all came to love, warts and all. Many moments throughout the show are quite sobering and grounded in Tina’s truth.  In a lot of ways, this is her story the way she wanted it to be told, and that in itself is all the validity and approval this night at the theatre needs.

TINA: THE Tina Turner MUSICAL

Now - December 3rd

Whitney Hall at Kentucky Performing Arts

Photo Credit: Matt Murphy for MurphyMade